DOT to close lanes on Wrightsville Beach drawbridge on Wednesday

Monday

Jun 23, 2008 at 4:20 PMJun 23, 2008 at 6:40 PM

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACHDOT to close laneson beach drawbridgeThe N.C. Department of Transportation will intermittently close the eastbound and westbound right lanes of the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday for inspection.The inspection will be done by a Raleigh-based DOT team, which inspects bridges once every two years as part of the state's bridge maintenance program.- Patrick GannonBOILING SPRING LAKESCity sues residents over water hookupsThe city of Boiling Spring Lakes has filed another wave of lawsuits in an effort to force residents to hook up to the water system and pay fees.The city passed an ordinance in 2005 requiring residents within access to the water to hook up to the system and pay fees."And we've given them plenty of time to do so," City Manager David Lewis said.The city has filed at least 40 lawsuits and is planning more, he said.One suit, for example, requires a resident to connect to the water system and pay $1,023.35 for the tap-on fee and finance charges accrued from December 2006 through May 2008. The suit also asks that the resident pay $545 in owed water service fees from June 2005 through May 2008.Lewis said if the city wins the suit in Brunswick County court and the residents still do not pay, it would file liens on their properties.He added he hopes it does not come to that.- Shelby SebensWILMINGTONSmall fire at port damages warehouseThe Wilmington Fire Department responded Monday morning to a fire in a bulk cargo warehouse at the Port of Wilmington, port and fire officials said.Susan Clizbe, a spokeswoman for the N.C. State Ports Authority, said the fire slightly damaged the 50,100-square-foot warehouse but that no one was hurt and no cargo was lost.The cause of the fire wasn't immediately known, and the Fire Department and port officials are investigating.- Patrick GannonNORTH CAROLINALabor commissioner runoff TuesdayPolls will be open Tuesday for a runoff election to pick the Democratic opponent for state Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry.John Brooks and Mary Fant Donnan will be on the Democratic ballot in the only statewide race left unresolved from the May 6 primary election.Donnan, a first-time candidate, received the highest number of votes in a four-way race then, but was not able to exceed the 40 percent threshold to avoid a runoff.Brooks, who held the office previously from 1976 to 1992, finished second and called for the runoff.Those eligible to vote are all registered Democrats, any unaffiliated voters who participated in the May 6 Democratic primary but not the Republican primary, or any unaffiliated voters who did not cast a ballot on May 6.Hours for voting run from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.- Joe Johnson

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